The field of medicine has seen many advancements in diagnostic imaging techniques. For example, imaging technologies such as X-rays, CT scanning, mammography and magnetic resonance imaging allow doctors to view structures within the human body that were not previously viewable other than through invasive means. These non-invasive imaging techniques have been instrumental in improving clinical safety and patient outcomes. However, despite the benefits achieved through use of current non-invasive imaging techniques, such techniques contribute to the rising costs of healthcare and may have long term detrimental effects on patients due to the high levels of radiation used in connection with such techniques. Further, such techniques are not useful in medical arts such as dermatology where external visual imaging (e.g., photos, video) and analysis are the main diagnostic techniques.
External visual imaging techniques have long been an integral part of diagnosing and treating patient ailments. Some medical arts (e.g., dermatology) rely almost exclusively on external visual imaging. For example, skin ailments such as melanoma are often characterized through a doctor's visual analysis of the patient's skin. A doctor treating melanoma is primarily concerned with the size and shape of the melanoma at a given time as well as how the size and shape of the melanoma are changing over time.
External visual imaging techniques are also used in other fields. For example, in the cosmetics industry, research scientists must visually study how make-up, creams (e.g., wrinkle and cellulite treatments), and other products affect the appearance of subjects over a course of treatment using such cosmetic products. Additionally, pharmaceutical researchers involved in clinical trials must visually study certain experimental topical therapeutics to determine the efficacy of such therapeutics on patients suffering from various skin ailments. The results of such visual studies are then used to support regulatory filings with the goal of having such therapeutics approved for sale to consumers.
Since external visual imaging in the medical arts is primarily concerned with how certain structures on the human body are changing over time, both still and motion photography have become vital tools for image acquisition and storage. Such still and motion photography allows doctors and clinical researchers to study images taken at one time with images taken at a later time to assess how a patient's condition is changing as a function of time. However, the use of still and motion photography in the medical arts presents a unique set of challenges.
A primary challenge inherent in the use of still and motion photography is a potential lack of consistency during the acquisition and analysis of images. For example, non-uniform lighting conditions may make image comparison between two different photographs or videos difficult. Another challenge arises during studies when pre-defined image acquisition protocols depend on correct and consistent patient position or posture. Image analysis and comparison is made more difficult when even slight position changes of the camera with respect to the subject occur between two different images. Another challenge involves the photographic equipment itself. Bulky cameras, video cameras and lighting setups are expensive and difficult for medical practitioners (who in most cases are not trained photographers) to use in doctor's offices and other healthcare settings. Such equipment setups are also difficult to deploy and use consistently at multiple investigator sites when clinical trials are being performed. Still other challenges involve the lack of efficient systems and methods to store, retrieve and analyze images for purposes of patient care. Therefore a need exists in the art that addresses the challenges presented by current external visual imaging and analysis techniques.